Remembering
by pmw
Summary: Jack remembers - For ANZAC Day


**Title:** Remembering

**Author: **pmw10261

**Characters/Pairings:** Jack and Ianto,

**Word Count:** 699

**Rating:** G

**Spoilers:** none - au

**Warnings:** none

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Torchwood. All characters belong to RTD, BBC and others.

**Beta:** none - looking for a beta if anyone is interested

**Summary:** Jack remembers

**Author's Note:** This is about ANZAC Day, a very important event in the history of Australia and New Zealand and other battles that both countries have been involved in. I do not wish to trivialize the battles and campaigns. It is about remembering and realizing the sacrifices made on our behalf.

_They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:_

_Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn._

_At the going down of the sun and in the morning,_

_We will remember them._

"For the fallen" by Laurence Binyonis

Ianto walked up and placed his hand on Jack's shoulder.

"I've ordered the flowers, they will be delivered prior to dawn."

"Thank you."

Jack looked up at Ianto and smiled.

"They were brave boys, most of them only boys."

"I understand the average age was only 20." replied Ianto.

"Yes, but it was a blood bath." sighed Jack

"Tell me how you were involved Jack."

"I was doing some recon for the British Army. On a ship that was suppose to shell the harbour prior to the landing. They got it wrong, simple mis-calculation. The shells fell short, on the Diggers as they landed. They even landed them on the wrong beach. Instead of an easy landing, they had a small beach, then a steep cliff face, with the Turkish on the top. The Gallipoli Peninsular."

"Is that was is commemorated? The landing?"

"Yes, typical Aussie's, and don't forget the Kiwi's, they commemorate the landing, even though it was a mess. Many were lost but they were tenacious. After loosing so many soldier, they had a tactical withdrawal, and didn't lose a single life in the withdrawal. They fought and died for 8 months. They were brave men, some of them were scoundrels. There was one call Simpson, cute guy, he was pulling wounded soldiers out of the field, using his donkey to convey the wounded. He saved numerous lives. And the runners, who had to run from post to post with messages, sometimes under fire." Jack smiled, remembering.

"I went on to the beach, it was later renamed ANZAC cove. They were amazing. The fashioned so much gear to make life easier in trenches, out of nearly nothing. Resourceful, humorous and very rude. You didn't get away with just being a British Officer, you had to earned their respect."

"That was in World War One, the Aussie and New Zealanders found in may battles are were always the same. Following Gallipoli, they fought campaigns on the Western Front and in the Middle East. The battles for German, also in Sinai Peninsula, Palestine and helped capture Gaza and Jerusalem, occupied Lebanon and Syria."

"Did you work with any other Australian Troops." asked Ianto

"Yes in the Second World War, both while on leave from Torchwood, I did work in the Pacific and South-East Asia in the war against Japan, as I was in the UK in the RAF during my time prior to traveling with The Doctor, I thought I better get out of the country, didn't want to cross my time lines."

"That I can understand."

"I had contact with Aussie troops in the Middle East, the Rats of Tobruk, the battle of El Alamein. North Africa. Same spirit. Never cross an Aussie or Kiwi. They are dangerous."

"Do you miss fighting?"

"You fight when you have to, not for the joy of fighting. You may go to war as an adventure, but it is hell on earth. Your comrades die, many way to young. Men are damaged, some beyond repair. In latter wars the soldier were blamed for fighting, for doing what their countries asked of them. I can understand people not wanting to fight, but it is the governments that make war, governments are voted in by the people. The soldiers just act on our behalf." Jack huffed out a breath. He remembered men, men who he served under and men who served under him. "Good men die. It is a waste of youth. But we should thank and be thankful for those men and women."

Ianto leaned in and stroked Jack's cheek. "I am thankful for the soldiers who fought. Those that came back, those that didn't." Ianto kissed Jack gently. "Let me drive you down, I'm sure Gwen and the others can look after the hub for one day. We can go now and make the dawn service, It would be where I sent the flower?"

"Yes, and thank you."


End file.
